99 Days, 99 Vegas Facts.

Right then, on with more useless knowledge.

93: 1957 was a good year for Las Vegas. It was the year of the first topless show, Minsky's Follies at the Dunes.

To my knowledge the only similar show still running is Jubilee. but as usual icould be wrong.

Quote: Croupier

I think I also read somewhere that Las Vegas is the Suicide capital of the US.

I think that is a myth, much like the one that suicides spike around Christmas.

Anyone know of an estimate of how many coins there were in Vegas before the dawn of the paper ticket? I imagine it was the coin capital of the U.S. for quite awhile.

(btw) as an aside, I played practically a year (on weekends) on the Strip in 1990 before I realized the coin changing ladies were expecting tips. (most were women, might of been a few guys) They probably hated me.

Quote: rxwine

(btw) as an aside, I played practically a year (on weekends) on the Strip in 1990 before I realized the coin changing ladies were expecting tips. (most were women, might of been a few guys) They probably hated me.

Me too! I think my first few trips to Vegas between the ages of 21 and 23 I seldom tipped dealers or cocktail waitresses. In my defense, I just didn't know what the etiquette was.

I watched Casino again yesterday. The shots of the counting room just fascinate me, including the sign stating that ear protection must be worn. All those quarters!

Quote: Wizard

Me too! I think my first few trips to Vegas between the ages of 21 and 23 I seldom tipped dealers or cocktail waitresses. In my defense, I just didn't know what the etiquette was.

Well, after reading a great deal about tipping in this site, your other site and assorted other sources in the web, plus what I've bene told by tour guides and a couple of locals, I think the tipping etiquette for Vegas can be summed up in two simple words: Tip Everyone.

So here are two tips (no pun intended) on how to get enough small bills and change for tips:

1) the ticket cashing machines in all casinos also break bills into smaller denominations. I ahven't tried to get singles out of five-dolalr bills, but breaking a few 20s into fives can work for larger tips.

2) the monorail ticket machines spews only one dollar coins as change. If you pay a $9 ticket witha 20, you get $11 in coins. It's also a great source if you collectpresidential dollars.

I don't know what the propper etiquette is when requesting change on a tip. Say you wan to tip the sky-cap five bucks, but the smallest note you have is a 20. Should you ask for $15 back, or is that rude? If it is rude, how do you get change on the spot? (In Mexico it's considered ok to ask for change on a tip).

Quote: Nareed

I don't know what the propper etiquette is when requesting change on a tip. Say you wan to tip the sky-cap five bucks, but the smallest note you have is a 20. Should you ask for $15 back, or is that rude? If it is rude, how do you get change on the spot? (In Mexico it's considered ok to ask for change on a tip).

It is absolutely NOT rude to ask for change of the person you're tipping. It doesn't take people in those types of jobs more than a day or two to realize that they have to bring change to the job, just in case the first couple tippers of the day need change.

Years ago, I did pizza delivery. I learned that after the first pizza.

Rude would be not tipping bacause you didn't have change.

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On the flip side, if you don't have change, it's OK to NOT give the person the large bill if they can't provide change on the spot. Of course, if you're at a casino table game, get change from the dealer. If you're at a slot machine, tell them you'll tip them on their next trip.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

On the flip side, if you don't have change, it's OK to NOT give the person the large bill if they can't provide change on the spot. Of course, if you're at a casino table game, get change from the dealer. If you're at a slot machine, tell them you'll tip them on their next trip.

Ok, that's fair enough. In some places it is considered rude to ask for change on a tip, or so I've heard.

BTW you mention slots. I've played a fair bit of slots, and lots of VP, and I've never tipped anyone over such play. So the question is: whom do you tip? There's no dealer and these days there are no people changing bills for coins, not in any casino I played in (I did notice some coin slots downtown, complete with plastic cups to hold payouts, but I noted most such machines take bills, too; in any case I dind't play those slots).

Tipping the dealers is easier as they take chips, and they can exchange money for chips at any time. Likewise cocktail waitresess in the casino floor. I suppose it would be ok to tip with cash if you run out of chips, though.

BTW vegas fact Number 100 (extra): a great many Vegas threads devolve into tipping threads for some unfathomable reason ;)

Quote: Nareed

BTW you mention slots. I've played a fair bit of slots, and lots of VP, and I've never tipped anyone over such play. So the question is: whom do you tip? There's no dealer and these days there are no people changing bills for coins, not in any casino I played in (I did notice some coin slots downtown, complete with plastic cups to hold payouts, but I noted most such machines take bills, too; in any case I dind't play those slots).

Tipping: (1) the person bringing your drink (usually a buck or two).
(2) the person giving you your slot jackpot (though they usually break it into smaller bills so you can tip them).

Not strictly a fact, but as someone said the general rule is tip everyone. For a good guide to tipping and Vegas in general check this out. I dont know how up to date it is as I found it in 2007, but I think it has been updated.

And for those who want the factoid:

92:In September of 1960, United Airlines began providing the first jetliner service to McCarran Airport.